The Life of the Bee 



have maintained, that the bees recognise 

 their master ; nor have they any fear of 

 man ; but at the smell of the smoke, at 

 the large slow gestures that traverse their 

 dwellings without threatening them, they 

 imagine that this is not the attack of an 

 enemy against whom defence is pos- 

 sible, but that it is a force or a natural 

 catastrophe whereto they do well to 

 submit. 



Instead of vainly struggling, therefore, 

 they do what they can to safeguard the 

 future ; and, obeying a foresight that for 

 once is in error, they fly to their reserves 

 of honey, into which they eagerly dip in 

 order to possess within themselves the 

 wherewithal to start a new city, immedi- 

 ately and no matter where, should the 

 ancient one be destroyed or they be 

 compelled to forsake it. 



26 



